The Hague is placing glass in the container

Published: 8 May 2018Modified: 8 May 2018

In May 2018 glass containers or bottle banks will have been around for 40 years and this will be celebrated in the Netherlands. In The Hague you can pick up a free ‘glass bag’ on 4 Saturdays. Read where you can do this.

Many residents of The Hague are already taking their empty glass to the glass container. This is great because glass is 100% recyclable. Unfortunately a lot of glass still ends up in regular household waste. The municipality is using this campaign to make it even easier for residents of The Hague to bring more glass to the glass container.

Free glass bag

You can pick up a free glass bag at various locations in the city on 4 Saturdays. The bags are brightly covered sturdy shopping bags which are quite suitable for glass. The Glas in ’t Bakkie promotion team will be handing the bags out at these locations.

19 May

From 10.00 to 12.00 hrs., Mariahoeve shopping centre

From 13.00 to 15.00 hrs., Winkelhof Waldeck

26 May

From 10.00 to 12.00 hrs., Fahrenheitstraat/corner Hanenburglaan (by the AH)

From 13.00 to 15.00 hrs., Thomsonlaan/corner Fahrenheitstraat

2 June

From 10.00 to 12.00 hrs., Paul Krugerplein (by the AH)

From 13.00 to 15.00 hrs., Wijkpark Transvaal (by the city farm)

9 June

From 10.00 to 12.00 hrs., Laakweg shopping centre

From 13.00 to 15.00 hrs., Apeldoornselaan 266 (by the AH)

Allowed in the glass containers

All kinds of glass packaging may be deposited in the glass container. You can dispose of them with lids, bottle caps and food residue. It is not necessary to rinse the glass out first.

Not allowed in the glass containers

Stone, crockery, (tea) glasses, flat glass (broken panes), mirrors and heat-resistant dishes are not allowed in the glass containers. Also broken light bulbs, fluorescent lamps and low-energy light bulbs do not belong there. This is domestic chemical waste and can be taken to the garbage and recycling stations.

100% recycled

Glass is 100% recyclable. This is why it is so important that you take all your empty glass to the glass container. 1 kg of used glass will become 1 kg of new glass. Glass can be recycled endlessly without its quality being affected.

Glass containers in The Hague

You can find the overview of the glass containers in The Hague on the map.

Creators of the glass containers

Miep Kuiper and Babs Riemens from the Milieuzorg Zeist foundation came up with the idea of the glass container 40 years ago. They were motivated by environmental concerns as they thought it was a pity to throw away expensive glass. They therefore placed a container in Zeist and it proved to be a success. They made a deal with Maltha Glasrecycling and glass recycling started earning money. Municipalities showed an interest and in 1978’s-Hertogenbosch became the first municipality to officially put a glass container in place. Other municipalities quickly followed suit. Today the glass containers are part of the Dutch street scenery.